The House vote went mainly down party lines, 56-39.
It’s now up to Gov. John Kasich what happens next. The law, which would ban abortions after a detectable heartbeat (usually five to six weeks into a pregnancy), would be among the strictest in the nation but almost certainly would meet a challenge from the federal courts. (Federal courts quashed similar bills in North Dakota and Arkansas. The U.S. Supreme Court didn’t even bother to hear the states’ appeals in those cases.)
Senate President Keith Faber, however, directly connected the passage of HB 493 (and his own flip-flop on the matter) to President-elect Donald Trump and his inevitable U.S. Supreme Court appointments.
Kasich, back in 2014, had said he had concerns about the legality of heartbeat bills but stopped short of saying that he’d veto such a bill.
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Original story:
In a move that could severely restrict women’s access to abortion across the state of Ohio, the Ohio Senate this afternoon passed a “Heartbeat Bill” amendment, which was tacked onto an unrelated bill on child abuse and neglect. It passed the GOP-heavy Senate side by a 21 to 10 vote after Republicans made the unexpected addition on the second last day of the session.
The bill would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected — usually around the 6 week mark of a pregnancy, sometimes before a woman even knows she’s pregnant. The bill makes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
The child neglect bill with the Heartbeat amendment now returns to the Ohio House for approval, which has previously passed iterations of the Heartbeat Bill in years past. If/when it passes there it’d head to Governor Kasich to be signed into law. Kasich has previously said he has concerns about the legality of the bill but stopped short of saying he’d veto it when asked in 2014. A separate bill banning abortion after 20 weeks could also head to his desk.
Opponents of the bill point out that it is simply unconstitutional given previous decisions by the Supreme Court and federal courts in North Dakota and Arkansas. Minority Senate Leader Joe Schivaoni, a Democrat from Boardman, said that, “This will be ruled unconstitutional. Other states have tried this, and the Supreme Courts in two other states have found this to be unconstitutional.”
Senator Capri Cafaro (D) of Hubbard added, “It is not government’s place to make these decisions for women. There is a time and place for government. This is not one of them.”
Senate President Keith Faber (R) himself opposes the bill, also believing that it will be struck down in court and could eventually backfire. Despite pressure from proponents who have protested in his district, he’s previously said the bill could “produce the opposite of its intended outcome,” and that “the courts likely would strike it down and could then use the case to establish a new, more expansive abortion precedent, resulting in even more babies being aborted.”
The bill would surely end up the center of a court fight. That much Faber is right about. Though supporters argue that a court fight is exactly the path needed to get this or a similar case in front of the Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade.
The amendment was introduced by Senator Kris Jordan of Ostander. “This is just flat out the right thing to do,” he said. “It affords the most important liberty of all – the opportunity to live.”
Jordan’s second favorite liberty is apparently making healthcare and reproductive rights decisions on behalf of women.
This article appears in Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2016.
Meanwhile, the governor – who was obviously planning for a move to the White House (oops!) before he had to handle any tough issues caused by his voodoo economics – is sending out warning signals that the state may soon plummet into a recession.
I do love North Missitucky so. Old times there are not forgotten.
Who needs the advice of a broker? Buy now, when prices are low!
Everyone knows that coat hanger manufacturers’ stock values will be going up, up, up!
Chuckles the Clown
“Senator Capri Cafaro (D) of Hubbard added, It is not governments place to make these decisions for women. There is a time and place for government. This is not one of them.
Does this cat ever watch the news? I see stories daily of unfit mothers boiling their babies, throwing them from windows when their husband leaves them, contacting perverts on the internet to come and have sex with their 10 yr old daughter so the mother could watch, then killing and dismembering the child. But yeah, let’s make this egotistical statement all feminists love to use, as if women are above reproach, every woman is of sound mind and shouldn’t be told what to do when it comes to their decision of procreation. Right. Women are not flawless “gods” just because their body can incubate an egg and sperm. We need a license to have a car or gun, but any buffoon, drug addicted transient or irresponsible teenager can make a kid and ruin it’s life. But yeah, not questioning women is more important.
Ohio taxpayers footing another legal bill because of stupid and ignorant lawmakers.
The issue is not whether or not there are women/men who are not yet ready to bring a child into the world and then provide the care needed to bring up a healthy, and happy individual. This will always be the case if we do not make more options available for mothers and babies (unborn or carried to term). The unfit mother stems from a unwanted and FORCED pregnancy. Why should the Man (read:patriarchal government structure) set the perameters of incubation?? Ah, He is terrified! worried his legacy is getting pulled apart! Your/Our bodies, our selves!!
That being said- too -isnt it the deception and misdirection surrounding the inclusion of the Heartbeat Bill thats similarly terrifiying. This system does not work!! How do we fix it?!?
This is horse shit. I agree that women are not gods and honestly some of us are down right evil bitches. But all the kids who do get raped and diamembered and thrown in boiling pots would double because those evil women will HAVE to have those kids. Some people are to selfish and evil or ignorant to have kids and pro choice (I believe) saves a lot of children agony and permanent damage and neglect.
Now for those women out there who aren’t evil AMD just fucked up one time or was pushed into getting pregnant or where molested and raped. The women who are not evil and deranged pro choice is also for them, the young girls who aren’t ready but made a mistake pro choice is for them.
A desperate woman is never a good thing and taking away this constitutional right will cause a lot of women to do desperate things.
The guilt and relief and more guilt a woman feels after an abortion is something making that choice comes with. It never goes away and some days its gonna hurt but that’s better then taking that hurt out on a living “breathing” two year old who had NO choice.
I believe women and children need this choice, its up to us. Not some man who says its bad not some bible thumping woman at the church not a governor who has 3 boys. Its up to the woman whose life is a wreck and can’t bring a baby into it right now.its up tonthe daughter and sister or mother who was raped, the women who can’t take care of themselves let alone a child. The choice and consequences are ours, and believe me there are consequences. But we make the choice and we live with them.